Students of Havilah Christian Academy from Gomoa Ojobi in the Central Region visited the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of the Ghanaian Times (GT) and The Spectator on Friday to learn about newspaper production.
The tour was aimed at educating students on activities of NTC, especially the print media outlet.
They visited the Ghanaian Times newsroom, The Spectator and other departments that are involved in newspaper production.
The News Editor of Ghanaian Times, Mr Matthew Ayoo, educated the students on news gathering, and the process of newspaper production.
He said reporters and correspondents across the regions in the country wrote stories for publication in the newspaper.
Responding to the requirement for entering into the field of journalism, Mr Ayoo said one needed to obtain a degree in any of the recognised communication institutions to become professional journalist.
“To be able to work as a professional journalist, you need to pass your WASSCE with good grades in the core subjects, and get admission to any of the communications schools and pass there to obtain your degree, then you will be able to work as a journalist,” he said.
Also responding to the publication of fake news, the News Editor stated that, “getting stories and publishing them must be on a professional level, based on truth, facts with solid evidence.
“One can be jailed or sent to court if an article or story published is false and without any proof. You need to be sure of what you are writing before it gets published.”
Mr Ayoo advised the students to be very discipline and take their studies seriously in order to achieve their dreams.
The students continued their tour to the News Room of The Spectator, the weekly newspaper of the NTC, where the News Editor, Ms Evelyn Naadu Borquaye, schooled them on the operations of The Spectator.
He encouraged the students to do their best and consider writing interesting stories to the editor for publications in the newspapers.
At the graphic design department, Mr Talento Afedo indicated that the section was where the newspapers were designed.
He explained that before the newspaper was produced, the outlook was first sketched on a dummy in order to arrange and know how it would look like if it was printed out.
“Before we do the final work of the newspapers, the editors use a sheet we call dummy to indicate how the story should look on a page before we design the artwork and set in for printing,” Mr Talento Afedo said.
The proprietor of the school, Nana Kwa Budu III, commended the NTC for the opportunity provided as it would help students appreciate and understand the processes the newspapers goes through before it reaches the news stand.
He added that the visit would also inform the career decisions of the students and prepare them for the future
BY CECILIA
